7 Health and nutritional benefits of Watermelon seeds

With the
popularity of watermelon in Nigeria,
it is still amazing to believe that many people are yet to realise the benefits of watermelon seeds but to
human health and in supplying of nutrition. More percentage of people enjoy the
succulent , sweet and refreshing part but discard the watermelon seeds because they believe it contributes nothing to our
health and nutrition.

It is a
pleasure for me to reveal to you that these seeds are loaded with nutrients
such as essential proteins, minerals and fatty acids. Watermelon seeds are rich in vitamin B such as Thiamine, Niacin,
Folate and minerals like Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium, Zinc, Iron, Copper
and Phosphorus. Apart from these, they are a great source of calories, for
example 100 grams of watermelon seeds provides
around 600 grams of calories.

Watermelon
seeds, also called as ‘tarbooj ke beej‘ in Hindi are used in Asian and
Middle Eastern cuisines. Roasted watermelon seeds are served as a snack
or used to garnish salads. In Nigeria,
they are used in certain soups popularly called "Egusi soup". Watermelon seed oil is extracted from these seeds
which are beneficial for your hair and skin. To say the least, watermelon seeds
are edible and can be a healthy option.

With
these little you have seen, you have realised that watermelon seeds are rich source of nutrients and therefore should
not be discarded. They have hard outer covering so they should be chewed before
swallowing in order to get the nutritional
content of watermelon seeds. Below are some of the benefits of watermelon seeds to both our health and nutrition.

1. Provides essential amino acids

Your body
requires amino acids but there are some essential amino acids such as lysine
and arginine which the body cannot produce on its own. These essential amino
acids needs to be provided from some certain foods in which watermelon seeds
falls in that category. The seeds contain some of these essential amino acids
such as glutamic acids and tryptophan. Lysine helps in calcium absorption to
facilitate the formation of collagen and connective tissues in the body while
arginine improves the body's metabolism, cardiovascular system and sexual
health.

2. They are good source of
magnesium

Watermelon seeds are good sources of magnesium
with 100 grams of seeds providing 139 percent of the recommended daily
requirement. Magnesium is vital for normal heart functioning, maintenance of
normal blood pressure, supporting metabolic process and protein synthesis. It
is also beneficial in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and hypertension
besides controlling blood pressure and diabetes.

Watermelon
seeds are excellent sources of
multivitamin B and can replace some of the supplements. Vitamin B present in
watermelon seeds comprises of niacin, folate, thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6
and pantothenic acid. B vitamins are vital for maintaining healthy blood,
nervous system and effective immune response.

5. Can be used in treating
Diabetes

These
seeds can be used for treating diabetes. Boil a handful of watermelon seeds in
1 litre water for 45 minutes, keeping the pot covered. This concoction should
be taken every day like tea and they are highly effective in managing diabetes.

6. Aids quick recovery and good
memory

Watermelon
seeds are effective in recovering health after illness and sharpening your
memory.

Almost
half of the watermelon seed contains oil which comprises of 20 percent
saturated fat and the rest monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat including
omega-6 fatty acids. One cup of dried watermelon seeds contains around 50 grams
of fat which constitutes about 80% of the daily recommended value. Thus,
watermelon seeds are an important source of calories and energy.